Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

I didn't expect much from this movie going in, in that sense this movie didn't disappoint at all. If u would like to speak about flaws and weaknesses, I promise you there is a ton of them. But if you are planning to watch this movie after seeing trailer and expecting to be perfect, then you should blame yourself. Having mentioned much about the notions, lets analyse the movie strengths. Sophia lillis as Nancy drew is vibrant and funny. She is very good at keeping the mood light even in the tense scenes. There is an innocence in her acting. Laura wiggins plays the pretty friend as usual. Andrea anders, sam trammel doesn't have much screen space but they have supporting roles to sophia. Even though you pretty much know how its gonna pan out, this movie keeps you invested. Grab a popcorn and drink and if you plan to light hearted teen movie this movie won't make you regret it.

When I saw the title while surfing through my TV guide list, I was excited. I've been reading Nancy Drew books for years-the ones from the 60's and '90's. I recently read "The Hidden Staircase" again so I was interested in seeing just how loyal the movie was to the book. Call me old fashioned I don't care. While the movie was cute, it deviated too much from the book. In the book, Hannah was an older, matronly lady living and taking care of Nancy since her mom died. And Nancy? Sophia is cute but not who I envisioned as Nancy. They turned her into a major tomboy. Not that there's anything wrong with a tomboy. I'm a tomboy. But, in the book, Nancy managed to remain classy while getting her hands dirty. She knew how to drive. She did not use a skate board and wear cut up jeans. If you've never read the books, you could really enjoy this movie. But, it's true what they say: books are almost always better than the movie. This movie is an example. Although, if they decide to make a movie of the next book about the mystery of "Lilac Inn", I'd still watch it. I'd have loved to see movies done of the '90's books, as well.

I've watched this version and the one with the same title from the thirties back to back. Originally it was in the service of my history of mysteries, but neither qualify. Only this one is worthy of comment, because of the apparent excellence of the demographic engineering.

So many films suppress the cinematic and narrative experiments in the service of cultural capture. For a student of film it is a trade off because in ordinary film, where the qualities of film are exploited and sometimes extended, we are happy to accept stereotypes, tropes and genre conformity. But when the project is about seduction of identity, the stereotypes are up for experimentation. All else in the media is in support.

It isn't just the marvellous creation of this Nancy. I predict this actress will have a rich and much admired career. I thought the same of and early Heath Ledger when I saw him in a King Arthur project with similar goals and values. She not just shines, she understands emotional manipulation.

She's what you are supposed to look at. She's what you are supposed to see, but the heavy engineering has been done around her, in place and gang. Sure, this is Scooby mixed with the old mean girl redemption story. But look closer at how the camera stages groups. Look at the apparently different sets of the same hidden passage.

There's craft in this that deserves to be understood. Disney used to have a stable of experts that knew how to do this before the TeeVee production ethic killed it. Maybe we'll get it back. Because in film, I appreciate experimentation and evolution in any dimension.

As a lifelong Nancy Drew-book and games-lover I was really looking forward to this. Was I disappointed? Yes. But this movie wasn't made for me - it was made for the younger generations, and for them I think it's a welcoming first few steps into the Nancy Dew culture. Is it perfect? No. Is it supposed to be? Also no! This is a cute, and fun young persons movie with mystery,friendship and personal growth at it's core, and in that way it IS perfect - that embodies the Nancy Drew spirit perfectly. A 7 from this old nostalgic, but as a first glance into ND-fandom it's a 10. The actresses and actors are great, and believable, and it feels very Nancy Drew, even in this new wrapping. Well done, all around!

Nancy Drew (Sophia Lillis) and her father Carson moved to the small town River Heights after the death of her mother. She is bitter at having left her friends in Chicago. She gets into trouble when she pranks annoying jock Derek who cyberbullied her friend Bess. She runs into Derek's girlfriend Helen Corning and her beloved aunt Flora (Linda Lavin). Flora's home has been haunted by ghosts from its past and nobody believes her except Nancy Drew. Meanwhile, Carson is fighting efforts to bring a train line into River Heights.

The story is a little old fashion that the hip scriptwriters have tried to update. The seams between the two do show. I wish they change train story. I can do without Nancy Drew riding a long skateboard or the truly ridiculous Derek. Can't he be a real villain rather than a silly one? It's like the movie is caught between a silly kiddie Disney channel movie and a grown up thriller. In addition, Nancy Drew needs a weapon; a stun gun or pepper spray. She's jumping into a scenario unarmed against a thug with a gun. It gets a bit too Home Alone for me to take seriously.

On the other hand, the girls have good chemistry. Sophia Lillis and Laura Wiggins are solid actors even if Laura is a tattooed 30 trying to pass for a young teen. It helps to have TV legend Linda Lavin. I like what she says about her best friend and the two girls coming together. The girls have the right attitude. The movie does have a few too many minor annoyances.